Blogging The Boys
With the Dallas Cowboys season coming to an end, this is a good time to continue looking at the biggest needs for the team, and who the key prospects are in the first round they could take with either of their Day 1 picks. In this edition we look at the safety position.
Strengths:
Downs’ superpower is that he can play multiple roles without subbing. He’s a rare no-weakness safety who plays like a defensive coordinator’s remote control. Has elite eyes and takes great angles as a tackler who arrives under control and finishes consistently. He can live as a true post safety, play down in the slot, and trigger like an extra linebacker without losing coverage discipline. In coverage, he reads route concepts early, closes throwing windows, and has real ball skills when he’s in-phase.
Weaknesses:
There aren’t many true holes and his weaknesses are more about style and role. Because he’s so aggressive and asked to do so much, he can occasionally arrive a hair hot in pursuit and leave a cutback lane if his angle is off. He’s also not built like a box-only thumper. When offenses force him into repeated collision work against bigger bodies, the wear and tear element shows up more than it would for a pure box strong safety.
Summary:
Downs is the top safety in this year’s class and a legitimate top-10 overall prospect. He’s a rare safety prospect who checks every box at a blue-chip level. He has the production, versatility, and awards, all while being trusted to run the defense like an on-field coordinator. Which ever team draft s Downs has someone who can be the post defender, slot matchup, and extra run support in the box without coming off the field.
(Top-3 prospect)
Strengths:
McNeil-Warren is a downhill hybrid safety who plays with linebacker intent but still has a defensive back’s instincts. He shows a fast trigger, violent finish, and real ball disruption. The production shows the impact across his last three seasons with 207 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, 13 pass breakups, and five interceptions. He’s a true tone-setter in run support, lowers the shoulder, slips blocks, and arrives on time while still showing real coverage instincts and hands. That’s why he’s stacked takeaways and forced fumbles across multiple seasons.
Weaknesses:
The questions with Warren are mostly role-based. He needs to show more consistent deep-half range and man coverage skills, not just thrive on box duties. Teams will also examine durability after his 2024 season was shortened and also playing through a 2025 leg issue.
Summary:
McNeil-Warren profiles as an interesting tone-setting, takeaway-creating safety who can be a box enforcer, pressure piece, and turnover magnet. He screams high-impact defender, but the next step for his draft stock is answering the deep-coverage questions cleanly while checking the medical boxes.
(Top-40 prospect)
Strengths:
Thieneman is a high-volume safety who plays fast because he...
